OVERALL:
Nate Carter has the rare ability to play both inside and outside. He has a powerful upper body will be able to match up with various different styles of players.

STRENGTHS:
1. Versatility: Like above, he has the rare ability to play inside or outside. In small line-ups, he can play the 4. Normally, he's a 3. In big line-ups, he can play the 2.
2. Leaping Ability: This will help him in the transition game and against taller opponents. He has the ability to sky on both one-legged jumps and two-legged jumps.
3. Team Concept: Unlike some transfers in the Sooners' past (Lou Moore, Rashad Carruth), he has bought into the KS-style of the team concept. He must remember his natural abilities in scoring, however.

WEAKNESSES (Again, without seeing a lot of his game, these are simply keys to success for him):
1. Ball handling: He must show that he is an accomplished ball-handler. With as much as he will play on the perimeter, to take advantage of his versatility, he MUST show his ability to handle it in transition, and drive to the basket.
2. Defense against quicker guards: In College Ball, a lot of teams go with a three guard line-up. That means that Nate will go against some smaller guys who will try to use their quickness against him.
3. Foul Trouble: Being vesatile also means that he will face players with differing styles. He must quickly be able to adjust to their game, and stay out of foul trouble.

One thing that excites me about him more than anything - his teammates have gone public saying how good this guy is, and how good he'll be next year. It isn't often a relatively unknown transfer earns that much kudos before his first game. He also finished first as "most competitive" and "strongest" in an informal player poll over the summer, and was singled out by Chris Paul as the toughest matchup on the OU squad during their pick-up games. As the SF, he occupies the position that allows the best mismatches for most of our opponents.

I'm trying to reign in my expectations of the guy, but it's tough.

King Crimson

10/14/2005, 11:24 AM

Kermit Holmes? i dunno....since none of us have seen him play. i was thinking maybe a taller, less broad shouldered scorer like Nolan Johnson. with maybe better range on the J.

GDC

10/14/2005, 11:37 AM

Thanks for all your posts, IHS.

IronHorseSooner

10/15/2005, 02:32 AM

First, you're welcome. Second, when Chris Paul talks about him as a tough match-up, that's a compliment (especially with the level of competition he saw in the ACC)...With the comparison, it was between Kermit Holmes and Nolan Johnson. The difference is that Kermit (at least when he played for the Cavalry) was listed at 6-6/6-7, and went inside and outside. He's about 2-3 inches taller than Nolan, and is likely a better outside shooter than Nolan. Nolan didn't really take many threes until his Senior year, and it wasn't that many. Admittedly, it was hard to find a comparison.

stoopified

10/19/2005, 11:36 PM

DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING SO FAR IN THE LAST YEAR ABOUT SHHOTING ABILITY AND RANGE ,AM ANXIOUS TO SEE HIM AND ALL THE sOONERS IN ACTION.Sorry,I tend to yell when I get excited(On certain occasions that is really hard on my wife).

IronHorseSooner

10/20/2005, 01:42 AM

When I yell, my wife just gives me a beer and nachos, and sends me to my Crimson and Cream "Sooner Rec-Room" with my satellite TV. That's when I'm not in IRAQ!

jkm, the stolen pifwafwi

10/20/2005, 04:33 PM

your strengths/weaknesses sounds more like damon patterson than kermit. kermit didn't have much range at all outside of 17 feet.